# driver license photo help



## katcole (Sep 4, 2013)

Ok  Im stresssing out, I have chin length hair, maybe a little  longer, shall I straighten it, wear it in a pony tails, curl it. As you can see I have a round face. I hate my hair length. Im going really try to conceal my eye baggy, shadows etc, maybe fake eyelashes.  I look  good in red, shall I wear my nerdy glasses ? Yikes I can only do so much  but I want my picture to turn out good. I usually take pictures from above it doesnt  show my double chin,, hehe I doubt they will do that for me.


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## naturalactions (Sep 4, 2013)

Not sure if this is everywhere, and not sure that it will help that much to know, but in CA they now make you show your ears in your photo, and smile without showing your teeth. I had a cranky photographer who would not let me get away with doing either. I felt like all my planning for a good photo went out the window.

Looks like you smile without showing your teeth so you are already off to a good start for a nice photo. I don't think DL photos are detailed enough to show bags under eyes, but I must say I like your glasses. If they won't cause a glare I would suggest wearing them, especially if you do on a daily basis anyway. Good luck making your decisions!


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## PeridotCricket (Sep 4, 2013)

In Iowa they make you take your glasses off for driver's license photos. I told the DMV lady the last time to just eff it and just take the effing picture because I can't do the smile without showing my teeth, and she did, like 5 times. It took ages because she said it had to process first after every photo. I didn't see any of the photos except the last one, after she gave up. I also can't see the dot they have you look at while they take the picture. And that ticked off the DMV lady, too, so I figured we're about even. And the pointing at it and saying okay look here then? Um, no, there's no focusing, there's no depth perception, and there's no seeing a 3/4-inch yellow dot on a grey metal machine from 6 feet away without my glasses. I hope your experience is better than mine.


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## slinka (Sep 14, 2013)

Yeah, I had to take off my glasses in Utah.  /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

I figure a license picture is never going to come out good, so just do your best and hope for nothing lol. It'll be fine.  /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />


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## NotTheMama (Sep 14, 2013)

Why would they make you take your glasses off? That doesn't make any sense to me, and I can't imagine the reason behind it. I never wear contacts, I don't have any, so if they wanted to know what I look like, they better take the pic of me wearing my glasses!! LOL...and I'm so damn blind, without my glasses I couldn't see the camera to look into!!! They'd have a pic of the side of my head...


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## slinka (Sep 14, 2013)

I wish I knew! Maybe just in case you're on the run and decide to change you're appearance or idk I'm just making things up lol.

When I first got my license years ago, I told the guy I wore glasses. (I was about to take the eye exam) He said, "Well, just try the test without them." I was like, "...I can't see...but ok."
Him:"Read the 3rd line..."
Me:"...I can't see where the lines begin and end."
Him and everyone in line "HAHAHAHAHA"
Him:"Ok, put on your glasses. 3rd line."

...I still don't understand wtf that was about. Like I WANT glasses? *eye roll*


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## meaganola (Sep 14, 2013)

My understanding on the glasses-in-photos (and smiling, actually) thing is that it involves facial recognition software, like on all of those cop shows where they figure out who someone is by running their DMV database against CCTV photos/video of the suspect(s). (And now things head into forensic and science fiction areas, so I'll stop here.)


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## NotTheMama (Sep 14, 2013)

I guess that makes sense, but as someone who is NEVER without my glasses, why wouldn't they want a pic of how I look all the time?? Are they saying that the technology wouldn't recognize me simply because I'm wearing glasses in one photo and not in another? I don't own contacts, and I have a pair of RX sunglasses that I very rarely wear, so I would think the best pic of me if you were looking to recognize me would be a pic of me with my glasses on. It just strikes me as weird, that's all. I have to get a new license here soon with my new address so I will see if IL does anything like that.


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## meaganola (Sep 14, 2013)

I think the facial recognition software recognizes only that: *Facial* features. Having glasses in the still comparison photo messes things up. It's kind of like how cell phone cameras will zoom in on a face to focus on no matter where it is in the frame unless you force them to focus on something else.


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## PeridotCricket (Sep 14, 2013)

One DMV lady told me it's because of the glare. It's hard to get a good pic of your eyes with glasses on apparently.


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## katcole (Sep 14, 2013)

mine  turned out ok, I guess, I usually take  pictures  from above so my  double  chin doesnt  show.  I messed up and  drew my brows weird lol  I look  like  I took a sharpie to  my  eye brows  and I have  really  round  eyebrows lol oh well. I smile kinda I dont  look  as  mean as  I usually do.


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## slinka (Sep 14, 2013)

Should've gone full-blown chola. =p

Man, why didn't I do that? lol


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